Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Morocco snuffed out co-host Canada’s World Cup dream to book their place in the quarter-finals on Saturday as France braced for furnace-like temperatures in their last-16 clash against Paraguay. Two goals from Azzedine Ounahi and an injury-time effort from Soufiane Rahimi sealed a 3-0 victory for Morocco in Houston that sends the African champions into a quarter-final meeting against the winner of France and Paraguay’s game in Philadelphia later Saturday.
Morocco, who had produced a superb performance to eliminate the Netherlands in the last 32, were made to work hard for victory against the Canadians, who dominated the early exchanges of a physical contest at the NRG Stadium. But the Atlas Lions made the crucial breakthrough just after half-time when Ounahi swept in a powerful low shot from the edge of the area. Ounahi made victory inevitable eight minutes from time with his second before Rahimi’s late goal on the counter-attack left Canada heading for the tournament exit.
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“We are very happy,” Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said. “It’s a World Cup match and these are difficult games with teams playing for their lives. Canada were impressive — they played a top match. It was no surprise for us but in the second half we were able to profit from the space they left us — that was the key.” Canada coach Jesse Marsch said he believed his team had been the superior side but paid the price for poor finishing. “We were the better team,” Marsch said. “It’s just they had a bit of quality in the final third and we lacked the ability to make a play when we needed to.”
Morocco’s victory raises the prospect of a possible World Cup showdown with France — a repeat of their 2022 World Cup semi-final in Qatar.
France aim to beat heat
France will aim to advance to that meeting later Saturday when they face the Paraguayans at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field against a backdrop of extreme heat warnings as Americans celebrate Independence Day. Temperatures in the Pennsylvania metropolis touched 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) on Saturday ahead of the 5:00pm local time kickoff. France coach Didier Deschamps said his team would be prepared for the conditions. “It is something we need to take into account, but I think every team has prepared for it. It can have an impact on all the teams,” said Deschamps. “This will be our fifth game at the tournament and that will have an impact as well, but I am not fixated on the heat.”
France have been the outstanding team of the tournament so far, producing a series of scintillating attacking displays to surge into the last 16, scoring 13 goals in four games. France will likely be without midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, however, ruled out with a thigh injury, according to reports. His place should be taken by Manu Kone. Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro said the South Americans were more concerned by the “storm” of France’s multi-pronged attack than the weather. “France are like an electrical storm. We need to be aware that the storm is coming and try to be prepared for the lightning bolts,” Alfaro said. “We are used to the heat, and of course we have to suffer with it. You would never play a World Cup game at 5:00 pm in Paraguay, and if we did we might lose, but it’s like when you go to Quito (to play Ecuador), and you have to be ready for the altitude.”
Paraguay demonstrated in their victory over Germany in the last 32 that they are likely to present a rugged challenge to French hopes of reaching the quarter-finals. France forward Bradley Barcola is fully expecting the South Americans to adopt a physical approach. “It’s a team that defends a lot. They’re going to dish out a lot of knocks,” Barcola said. “But they are also a footballing team. We saw that against Germany.”
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